In the lead-up to the holiday season, consumers are facing a growing threat: sophisticated fake ads created using generative artificial intelligence. Experts warn that scammers are increasingly deploying AI-generated videos and imagery to deceive users on social platforms, posing a serious risk to data and payment security.
According to research from cybersecurity firm McAfee, one in five people say they—or someone they know—have been targeted by a “deepfake” scam in the past year. These scams typically feature manipulated content that appears to show a well-known influencer or celebrity promoting an enticing deal, such as free cookware. In one widely publicised case, scammers used a likeness of Taylor Swift to promote a fake giveaway of high-end kitchenware—designed to lure victims into counterfeit websites.
At the same time, McAfee’s findings indicate that the fear of falling victim to such scams has caused 40 % of consumers to abandon a holiday purchase because they weren’t confident in the offer’s legitimacy.
As Abhishek Karnik, head of threat intelligence research at McAfee, explains: “They’re believable because the scammers are able to do so much more with the generative AI at this point… Gone are the days where you could sort of see through what potentially looks like a scam. It’s getting to a point where it’s almost so real that it’s very, very difficult for the everyday person to identify whether it’s real or fake.”
How the scam works
Scammers typically build a convincing scenario:
- A seemingly genuine ad pops up on a social-media platform, often purporting to represent a trusted brand.
- The ad uses a celebrity or influencer—real or AI-generated—endorsing a “too good to be true” deal, like an 80 % discount or free product giveaway.
- When the user clicks, they are either sent to a spoof website that closely mimics the real brand but uses a subtly altered URL, or asked to provide personal/payment details under false pretenses.
Using urgent language and flashy visuals, the scammers hope to overwhelm users’ caution before they can check credentials or investigate further.
What consumers can do to protect themselves
Experts recommend several precautionary steps:
- Verify the ad’s account: genuine brands rarely launch one-off posts from newly created accounts with unfamiliar links.
- Be cautious of rush tactics: flagged by urgent language like “act now” or “must respond before midnight”.
- Don’t click directly on ads or links: when in doubt, go directly to the brand’s official website by typing the address into the browser.
- Treat unusually generous offers with scepticism: free items or massive discounts (80-90 %) are common red flags in these schemes.
With social-media platforms becoming a major vector for AI-enhanced scams, staying alert and confirming authenticity before engaging is more important than ever.
The bottom line: if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
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